Wall structures formed from a plurality of prefabricated interconnected panels are used extensively in commercial and industrial buildings for dividing interior regions into smaller working spaces. Numerous components are also provided for attachment to these wall panels to totally equip the working space for its intended utilization. These components, such as desks, filing cabinets, book cases and the like, are fixedly mounted on one side of the panel by various types of attaching structures. These attaching structures normally comprise brackets which are secured to the component and define a plurality of vertically spaced, rearwardly projecting, downwardly opening hooks. The panel itself is normally provided with end posts having a row of vertically spaced slots therein, which slots cooperate with the hooks in a conventional manner for fixedly supporting the component on the wall panel.
While a structure of the above-described type has been extensively utilized and is well known, nevertheless this attaching structure possesses recognized disadvantages. The most significant disadvantage of this known structure is that it does not lockingly fix the component to the panel so as to prevent accidental disconnection therebetween. For example, this known structure normally maintains the component on the panel due to the weight of the component causing the hooks to be forced downwardly into engagement with the slotted posts. However, if an upwardly directed force of sufficient magnitude is accidentally applied to the component, then this may cause accidental lifting of the component sufficient to release the hooks from the slotted posts, thereby permitting the component to fall off of the panel. This is obviously damaging to the component and adjacent structures, and also creates a serious hazard to persons in the immediate vicinity. Further, the components are sometimes not properly installed, and thus little external force need be applied to the component to cause it to be accidentally disconnected from the panel.
In view of this problem, numerous attaching structures have been devised to provide a locking or latching relationship between the bracket and the slotted post. These prior attempts, however, have normally involved the use of a movable latch or lock element which is of substantial structural complexity, either with respect to itself or with respect to necessary changes required in either the bracket or the post, so that these structures are less than desirable. Other structures have involved the use of locking or latching members positioned wherein they are readily visible and/or accessible, whereby they not only detract from the appearance of the component and wall system, but they are also easily accidentally released. Such structures are obviously undesirable.
The problem of securely mounting a component on a wall panel is further compounded in those situations where the component comprises a work surface member, such as a desk or table top. The work surface member is normally of substantial size and projects outwardly a substantial distance away from the panel. Due to the large cantilevered projection of the work surface member away from the wall panel, it is normally removably positioned on a pair of underlying L-shaped supports, which supports in turn are provided with hooked brackets which are releasably engaged with the slotted upright posts associated with the panel. It has been observed that these work surface members are particularly prone to being accidentally released from the wall panel since upwardly directed forces often accidentally applied to the outer free edge of the work surface member, such as when a person sitting at the desk stands up and accidentally contacts the free edge of the member. In view of the width of the work surface member, and the resulting leverage provided thereby, this has caused loosening of the supports and release thereof from the wall panel, particularly in those instances where the work surface member is rigidly attached to the supports, as by being screwed thereto.
In many situations, however, the work surface member is not rigidly attached to the underlying supports since this normally requires utilization of a connecting structure which makes mounting of the work surface member difficult and time consuming, which greatly restricts the convenient interchangeability and portability of the work surface member. In this instance, the work surface member is normally connected to the underlying supports by a releasable latch positioned solely adjacent the rear edge of the member. The front edge of the work surface member is not rigidly attached to the supports and hence will readily lift upwardly when an upward force is accidentally applied to the front edge of the member. This not only results in undesirable dropping of the work surface member on the underlying supports, but it can also result in release of the work surface member from the supports.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure which effectively overcomes the numerous disadvantages mentioned above, and does so utilizing a structure which is economical to manufacture and which permits easy and efficient mounting of a component on a wall panel.
More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved attachment structure for mounting a furniture component on an upright panel, which attachment structure utilizes a hooked bracket in cooperation with a slotted upright and also provides a latching or locking element which positively retains the hooks in engagement with the slotted upright to prevent accidental disconnection therefrom.
Another object is to provide an improved attachment structure, as aforesaid, which is releasably engageable with both the slotted upright and a work surface member, such as a desk top. This attachment structure specifically includes hook-carrying supports which are releasably attached to the uprights, and which supports in turn have the work surface member releasably attached thereto. This improved structure includes a latching device which automatically engages the slotted upright to fixedly lock the support thereto only when the work surface member is mounted on and properly engaged with the supports. This structure also provides a secure automatic latching of the work surface member to the supports adjacent the outer edge of the member to thereby prevent accidental upward lifting of the work surface member.
Still another object is to provide an improved attachment stucture, as aforesaid, which provides a secure, safe and rigid mounting of the work surface member to the supports, and a positively latched mounting of the supports to the uprights to prevent accidental disconnection of either the work surface member or the supports, while at the same time the work surface member and supports can be readily mounted on or removed from the wall panel without requiring special tools or strenuous effort.
A further object is to provide an improved attachment structure, as aforesaid, wherein the hook-carrying bracket provides an improved snug fitting of the hooks within the slotted upright, but also provides an improved load bearing arrangement between the bracket and the slotted upright so that localized stresses on the hooks and upright are minimized. The improved hook-carrying bracket also utilizes an enlarged top hook which not only provides improved strength and load bearing capability, but also reduces the possible accidental disconnection of the bracket from the upright by permitting such disconnection only when the bracket has the bottom edge thereof swingably moved outwardly a substantial distance away from the upright.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with structures of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.